Anchor



Sept. 27,1927. 1,643,769

I W. A. HEINRICH ANCHOR Filed Nov. 12, 1925 2 Sheets-sheet 1 Sepf- 271927' w. A. HEINRICH ANCHOR Filed Nov, l2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Sept. 27, 1927.

UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER A. HEINRICH, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSB, ASSGNOR 10 W. N. MATTHEWS COIR-PORATION, 'OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A 'CORPO-.ATON OF MISSOURI.

.AN GHOR.

Application led November 12, 1925. Serial No. 681,500. Y

This invention relates to anchors, and with regard to certain morespecific features to expanding earth or ground anchors foi` holding polestays and the like.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision ofan e2:- panding earth anchor which is light and compactly arrangedbefore sinking and eX- panding thereof; one which may be positively4enpanded with little eifort; one which expands to relatively greatlimits for a given closed or uneXpanded size thereof, thereby exert-inga strong hold in the earth; and one which will last and holdindefinitely after sinking and yet, with the stated advanta-ges, will beeconomical of manufacture and of use. Other Vobjects will be in partobvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists of the elements .and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which willbe exemplified in the structure hereinafter described andthe scope ofthe application of which will be indi# cated in the following claims. Y

In the accompanying drawings, in which are shown` two of variouspossible einbodie ments of the invention, I Y

Fig. 1 `is a side elevation showing the `application of the anchor tothe earth by means of a wrench;

Fig. 2 is a plan view -of the anchor with parts broken away; n

Fig. 3 is av vertical section taken Online 3-3 of Fig. 2; y

Fig. 4 is a vertical lsection taken online 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. V5 is a side elevation of aV gear casting; A .i

Fig. 6 is a plan View of a wrench for the anc-hor; Y

Fig. 7 isa side elevation Vof Fig. 6;

Fig. 8' is a plan view of an Yanchor plate;

Fig. 9 is a plan view kof a inodiied fourplate form of anchor showingalternate eX- pandedpositions of the plates thereof; and

Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 9. Y y

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the draw-ings.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2-'of the accompany-ingdrawings, there vother lug 13` does not.

3 `is a 'guide lug 13 which is made about onel half the thickness of theopening 11. It reaches from Vone edge to approximately.the center of thewall. `On the other wall 5 is formed another similar guideY lug 15,aligned with said lug 13 as to length,but inV another plane. The lug 15is also approximately onefhalf the thickness of the opening 11, butoccupies that plane of the opening which the Therefore in sidewardprojection only ,the upperl surface of the guide' lug 15 .and the lowersurfacelof thelug 13 are coplanar. l

'A hole 17 is formed through the walls 3 and V5 of casting 1, the sidesof which the said lugs lead yup to or near (Fig. 2).

' Slidably placed within the opening 11,

between the portions 7 and 9, are two anchor plates 1.9 andV 21. Eachanchor plate (Fig. 8) comprises a more or less disc-shaped pieceprovided with the sideward flats 23 which areadapted to permitrelativepassage of the portions 7 and 9 of the casting 1. Each plate.approximately one-half the thickness of the opening 11, that is, it isabout as thick as one of the said lugs 13 or' 15. `One .rounded edge 25is sharpened, or at least the platey is tapered down toward said edge.

From the opposite edge 27 is formed a recess or :opening v29. Thisopening is slightly wider than the width of the guide lugs 13 andV 15andreaches centrally such Va distance Aas to meet the hole 17 of thesaid castingfl when the plate is inserted into the opening 11 and therecess 29 aligned with one of the guides 13 or 15.

'Onv one side of the opening are formed rack teeth 31. These teeth, asindicated in Fig. 2, do not interfere with ythe slidable relationshipbetween the openings 29 'and said guidesy'butrrather aid in guiding theplates.

' It is obvious that both the plates 19 and 21 may be entered into theopening 11 from opposite sides thereoit', and each may be en- I opening17, as well as is the tered opposite its respective guide lug, 'forexample opposite lugs 13 and 15 respectively. Each plate is also enteredinto the opening 11 in the plane or its respective guide lug, and hencethe three pieces, namely pieces 1, 19 and 21 may be easily assembled.For purposes hereinafter to be described, the respective sets ot teethon the plates should come on opposite sides ot a line such as the line3-3 (Fig. 2). In order to cause such positive assembly ot the pieces,the guides are unsyminetrically arranged on opposite sides of the saidcenter line by the width of the rack tooth depth. nvlence no mistake canbe made in assembling the pieces. 'l`he one side oi each ot' theopenings 29 is tangential to the hole or corresponding side ot each lug13 and 15. The teeth 31 reach their depth into said opening 17 (see Fig.2). The unsymn'ietrical cut-away portions 16 ot the lugs 13 and 15accommodate the passage of the said teeth as well as serve the saidassembling purpose. lt may be noted that each plate 19 and 21, wheninthe casting 1, rests slidably against the portions 7 and 9, againstthe other' opposite plate, and against the opposite guide lug 13 or 15.1t is to be understood that the portions 7 and 9 might act as guidesttor the plates without the aid oi' the guides 13 and 15, it desired andproperly designed.

Now, in order to drive the plates 19 and 21 outwardly to anexpanded'position, there is rotatably formed in the round opening 17 atoothed casting 33 (Figs. 3 to 5).

2lhe casting 33 comprises circular flanges 35 and 37 which are made torotatably cooperate with the said walls 3 and 5 respectively. Betweenthe flanges 35 and 37 is integrally formed a gear or pinion 39. The

pinion 39 is 'adapted to engage the sets oi:v

rack teeth31. The lower flange 37 has integrally 'formed therebeneath aribbed shoulder 41. rFhe upper iiange 35 has formed thereabove a ribbed,preierably'square, eX- tension or gudgeon 43. The extension or gudgeon43 may be made ot any suitable polygonal shape, and is properly ribbedfor strength. Passing` longitudinally and centrally through the casting33 is a suitable hole 45 adapted to slidably receive there through staybolt 47. rl`he stay bolt 47 is the piece to be anchored in the earth.

The operation of the anchor is Valmost obvious. By applying the bolt 47to the casting 33 (Figs. 1 and 3) and dropping the anchor,'with the bolt47, into a. previously formed hole H, the device is ready tor anchoring.To anchor, it is only necessary to turn the casting 33 as indicated bythe arrow in Fig. 2 (clockwise) whereupon the upper plate 19 and thelower plate 21 are extension 43.

fed to the right and lett respectively (see Figs. 2 and 3) to assume thedotted line positions shown in Fig. 3. These positions are such as todrive the sharpened edges 25 oi the plates into the solid-earth sides ofthe hole H, thereby permanently anchoring the device. Relative movementbetween the casting 1 and the castingv 33 is accomplished, either bydepending upon a rictional effect between the sides of the hole H andthe 'casting 1, or by quickly turning the casting 33, whereby theinertia ot' the casting 1 is made effective to cause relative motion.Either of these effects need be only slight, in so far as a slightmovement outward of the plates iminediately binds the casting .1 in thehole H.

In order to bring about turning of the casting 33, a. wrench 49 (Figs.1, 3, 6V and 7) is provided therefor. This wrench 49 comprises averticall tubular portion 51 provided with a lateral bore 53 forfastening the wrench to wrench handle 67 (Figs. 1 and 3). Parallel tosaid tubular portion 51, buty oii'set from its axis and downwardlyshaped, is a preferably square socket 55,

adapted to loosely lit the upward extension 43 ot the gear casting 33.The socket may be made in any desired polygonal shape depending vuponthe polygonal shape ot said The side walls 57 of the socket, at thesidethereot do notmeet, but run parallelY to one` another to torni ears59. A space 61 is left between saidears oiiwidth equal'to or slightlyvmore than the bolt 47 tobe anchored. Thus the wrench is forked. Thisspace or opening 61 reaches inwardly and intersects the top 63 of thesocket 55 to a depth which includesthe top center; Ribs 65 for bracingthe socket 55 and the tubular portion 51 are provided, below the portion51 and next to the opening 61. Cross holes 52 are bored through the.ears 59 for pur.-Y poses to`be described. Y 1 To apply the wrench tothe anchor (after the anchor and its bolt 47 are. in the hole H) it isonly necessary to slip the wrench 49 around the bolt 47 by means of theopening 61. This statement is made, assumingthat the wrench may havealready been applied toits handle 67. A cross bolt 69 (Figs. 1, 3 and 6)is then applied through the holes 52 and a nut run up thereon.` Thewrench may then be permitted to descend down over y tit of the socket 55on the extension 43 per-A mits a lateral displacement of the handle 67whereby the eii'ective lever armV ot the crossamarres bar 58 isincreased. It is to be understood that `the crossbar 68 may `comprisetwo' side ward arms instead of only one las' shown. rIhe effective'lever arm may generally be increased by the mean-s described, becausethe holes I'I into which the 'anchors are placed usually assume .the-tapering shape indicated in F ig. l after a practical depth has beenreached. This efect is due to the wearing 7ay of the top of the hole asthe drilling tool operates. The cross-bolt 69 prevents split-ting apartof the ears 59,'but does not serve to clamp them tightly on theextension Hence after the expanding operation is completed, the wrencht9 may readily be withdrawn and untastened from around the bolt et?. l

A modification of the invention is shown in Figs. 9 and l0 in which thedevic-e already described is compounded to provide four instead of twoexpanding plates. In this form the casting 33 is modilied only in thatthe pinion 39 of the preferred fo m is 'lengthened to form a pinion 40adapted to move four racks of teeth instead oit two racks.

F our plates are used which are identical in form to the plates 19 and2l (shown in Fig. 8). l

To vbest understand the form of the casting surrounding the four plates7l, 73, 75 aud 7,7 of the modied form, it need only be seen that itcomprises two of the castings l formed together'. The bottom plate 5 ofone casting l is molded with the top plate 3 of the other casting l,that is, after one casting has been rotated relatively to the otherthrough an angle of ninety degr-ees. It will lheretore be recognizedthat the cross-section shown in Fig. l is in most respects acompounding` of the cross-sections shown in Figs. 3 and 4, which lattersections are taken at right angles to one another. The compoundedcasting .81 of the modified Fig. form, therefore comprises a centralportion or partition 83, top wall 85, bottom wall 87, guides S9 and 91formed in the top chamber thus `formed, and guides 93 vand 95Y formed inthe bottom chamber thus formed. The said pairs of guides are formed onopposite walls vand in a manner hereinbeforeI described for thepreferred form..

9 indicates the manner in whichthe plates Ispread when the pinion isrotated in a manner hereinbefore described for the pinion 89. rlheadvantage of this modified form is an increased anchor grip, whichhowever, requires a greater turning effort at the handle "if to bringabout.

It is readily discernible that as many of the dcafices oi' the preferredform may be compounded together, that is, as may be desired and/orpracticable.

It is to be understood that the device may be constructed ot castmaterial entirely without machining, thereby making it economical ofmanufacture. It is alsodesirable to make the Iparts of stampings underVcertain `conditions, and this may be done without departing from theprinciplesot construction and operation herein incorporated.

In jview of the above, it is believed vthat the various features ot thisinvention will be clear without further elaboration, and it will be seenthat with the apparatus her-ein described, the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained. f

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructionwithout departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended thatallmatter contained in the above description or shown in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative Vand not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

l. An anchor of the class described comprising spaced walls, slidableplates therein, and rotatable means passing through the walls fordriving the plates outwardly, said means comprising a pinion meshingwith teeth on the plates through which pinion a passage is formed toaccommodate the piece to be ancho-red. y

2. An anchor of the class described comprising spaced walls, rotatablemeans pass ing through th-e walls, gear teeth on said means atleastatpoints within the walls, slotted plates adapted to slide betweenthe walls and rack teeth formed in said slots for engagement with saidgear teeth.

3. An anchor of the class described comprising spaced walls, rotatablemeans passing through the walls, gear teeth on said means at least atpoints within the walls,4

slotted plates adapted to slide between the walls and rack teeth formedin said slots for engagement with said gear teeth, and guides within thewalls :tor the plates.

el. An anchor of the class described comprising spaced walls, rotatablemeans passing through the walls, 4gear teeth on said means at least atpoints within the walls, slotted plates adapted toV slide between thewalls and racl: teeth formed in .said slots for engagement with saidgear teeth, and guideswithin the walls for the plates, said guidescooperating with the slots or' the plates.

5. An anchor of the class described comprising spaced walls, rotatablemeanspassing through the walls, gear teeth on saidv means at least atpoints within the walls, slotted plates adapted to slide between thewalls, rack teeth formed in said slots for engagement with saidgearteeth, a gudgeon formed with the rotatable means outside of the saidwalls for purposes of applying a wrench, and a passage through thegudgeon and rotatable means adapted to removably receive the piece to beanchored.

6. Ananchor otx the class described comprising spaced Walls, rotatablemeans pass- Vfor purposes of applying a Wrench, and a ing through theWalls, gear teeth on said rotatable connection between the piece to bemeans at least at points Within the Walls, anchored and said rotatablemeans. 10 slotted plates adapted to slide between the In testimonywhereof, I have signed my Walls, rack teeth formed in said slots forname to this speeiieaton this 10th day of engagement With said gearteeth, an outside November, 1925 gudgeon formed with the rotatable meansWALTER A. HEINRICH.

